


take you over anybody else

by thisissirius



Series: tumblr requests (love in shorts) [7]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-28 18:29:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30143766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thisissirius/pseuds/thisissirius
Summary: "Don't be scared," Eddie says, his voice thick. "I'm right here, Buck, okay? I'm right here."Eddie's here.Buck's okay as long as Eddie's here.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Series: tumblr requests (love in shorts) [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1883830
Comments: 17
Kudos: 409





	take you over anybody else

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wafflesofdoom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wafflesofdoom/gifts).



> written on tumblr. 
> 
> lorna, my queen, this is for you <3

The truck is tense. 

Eddie’s not looking at him, face turned to the window, and he’s got a hand on his knee. Buck’s used to sitting close to him, easier to touch, jostle, and generally mess around. Now, he’s on the other side of the cab and Buck’s never been so aware of the distance. 

“Eddie,” he says, desperate to make things right. 

“I don’t want to talk about it here,” Eddie says, tone clipped, and Buck can see the look Hen and Chimney share. 

Ignoring them, he sighs, knows he should let it rest, but he doesn’t want them to go into a burning building with this hanging over them. “If you would just let me explain—”

“What’s to explain?” Eddie snaps. “You don’t think I’m making the correct choices in my life or in Christopher’s life. You apparently think I should mourn Shannon forever. I’m not allowed to get hurt, so you don’t want me making my own choices.” When he stares at Buck, Buck feels it cut deep, stealing his breath. “Did I forget anything?”

“That’s not what I’m saying,” Buck snaps back, because if Eddie will just _listen—_

Eddie snorts, turns away and what the fuck, Buck’s trying to fix this. 

“Look at me,” Buck says. 

“Both of you, quiet,” Bobby says, his voice cutting through the cab. Eddie ducks his head, embarrassed, and Buck looks out of the window, skin crawling. He hates when he and Eddie fight, when they’re not a unit. It makes everything else feel wrong. 

They jump out of the truck as it arrives, Bobby immediately taking charge. “Buckley, Diaz, you take the basement.”

Eddie looks irritated, but his face smooths out and Buck takes his cue; they’ve worked together and been pissed off. They can do this. Eddie stares up at the sky, as if bracing himself, and when he looks at Buck there’s an expression on his face that Buck doesn’t understand. “Let’s go.”

Buck follows, willing to sink into the headspace of _firefighter_. He calls out, does the sweeps with Eddie. There’s a groaning from above and Buck looks up, doesn’t like how bent and warped the wood is. “Eddie,” he says. “We should move quickly.”

“Yeah,” Eddie says, and Buck tries not to let on that he’s surprised. “You’re right. Let’s get out of here.”

This time it’s Buck leading the way, and he heads back towards the stairs. There’s a lot of clutter in the basement and Buck makes a mental note to tell the inhabitants to clean up and make access easier. He says as much to Eddie. “—don’t know why people don’t wanna navigate the place they keep their laundry shit,” he mutters. 

There’s a snort from behind him—amused or pissed off, Buck can’t tell—and then a creak. 

“Shit,” Eddie says. Then, “Buck!”

Something creaks above, a noise that makes Buck panic, and then nothing. 

Buck snaps awake abruptly, and immediately wishes he hadn't. Pain shoots through his stomach, down his side and he groans. 

"Easy," someone says to his left. 

Eddie, Buck thinks. There's a dull pain in the back of Buck's head and he opens his eyes slowly, immediately scared when he can't see anything. "Eddie," he says, voice shaking. "I can't see." 

"It's dark," Eddie replies, and Buck can see movement, an arm in his periphery. "We're trapped." 

"Fuck." Buck can feel weight on his stomach, along his left side, underneath his body. "We fell?" 

Eddie snorts, a noise filled with pain and Buck tries to find his face in the darkness. "More like something fell on us." 

Okay. This is fine. Buck's eyes adjust to the darkness and he can see rubble and wood crashed around them, and through it, Eddie's face. There's dirt on one cheek, except Buck doesn't think it's dirt. "You're hurt?" 

Eddie doesn't say anything for a moment, which is all the answer Buck needs. Then, quietly, "so are you." 

Frowning, Buck says, "what?" He's fairly sure he'd know if he was injured. "I'm fine," he continues, running his hands over his chest, down to his stomach and yeah, everything's _not okay_.

"Hey," Eddie's voice snaps through Buck's awareness. "Listen to me, Buck, breathe for me, okay?" 

Hyperventilating, Buck thinks. Embarrassing. 

"Don't be scared," Eddie says, his voice thick. "I'm right here, Buck, okay? I'm right here." 

Eddie's here. 

Buck's okay as long as Eddie's here. 

Breathing finally evening out, Buck wraps his fingers around the pole currently stuck in his side and stomach and swallows down the urge to throw up. It doesn't hurt, which should probably worry him, but he turns his head, looks at Eddie. "We're getting out of this?" 

"We are," Eddie says, with a certainty that surprises Buck. Eddie doesn't lie to him.

Which means, back in the truck—

“I’m sorry,” Buck says immediately, because he needs Eddie to know. 

Eddie grunts, like he’s trying to move, and when Buck looks, he can see rocks and rubble tumbling away from Eddie. “For what?”

Buck swallows, thinks of their argument in the truck, Bobby’s voice cutting across them, telling them to stow it and work it out later. “You can make your own choices.”

"It doesn't matter,” Eddie says immediately. There’s another shift of rocks, this time on the other side of Eddie. Buck frowns, realises Eddie’s trying to protect him from falling rocks and can’t stop the words spilling out of his mouth. 

“I didn’t mean to, I just wanted you to know.”

“Buck,” Eddie says, sounding wrecked. “It doesn't matter. Whatever happened before, i just wanna make sure you're alright."

The words sound good, so Buck drifts on them. He concentrates on breathing, on not passing out because he doesn’t think Eddie’ll be happy if he does. There’s a scuffing noise and then oh. “Hi, Eddie.”

Eddie’s got blood on one side of his face, a gash over his eye and nose, but he’s got his hands on Buck’s face. “I’m here.”

It’s a lot; Eddie’s fingers are soft, the worry on his face too much and Buck finds himself sobbing, clinging to Eddie. His side throbs, every small movement a wrench on his stomach. 

“I’m here,” Eddie says again, a hand in Buck’s hair, his eyes running over Buck. 

“I do know why I said those things,” Buck whispers, needs to get the words out. His vision is starting to grey and he doesn’t want to leave Eddie alone. “I wanted to hurt you. I wanted you to hurt like me.” 

Eddie looks surprised, brows drawn together. His lips part, as if he’s going to say something, and then he shakes his head. “It’s okay,” he says, pressing his lips to Buck’s forehead. “We can talk about it if you want, but we don’t need to. I know you, Buck. I know you’re hurting. I just wish you’d found an easier way to tell me.” 

“I’m sorry,” Buck sobs. 

“I know, Buck, I know.” Eddie’s hand is soft in his hair and Buck drifts. There’s a sharp sting on his scalp. “Stay with me, alright? Talk to me.”

Buck opens his mouth, closes it. When he speaks, the words aren’t ones he wants to fall between them. “I want you to love me like you love her."

There’s silence. Well, there’s silence between then. Buck can hear yells and noises, indistinct from above and around them; their crew, coming to get them. He blinks slowly, hand reaching for Eddie. Eddie takes it blindly, but he immediately focuses on Buck. 

“There’s not even a contest,” he says, and he sounds hoarse, scared. 

Buck doesn’t know what to do. “Eddie—”

“I don’t love her,” Eddie says, fast, as if he’s scared he’s not going to be able to. Buck wants to tell him it’s alright, he understands, but Eddie drops a glove, gets his warm, long fingers on Buck’s face. He holds his chin, taps lightly with his forefinger and Buck struggles to focus. “Buck, I don’t love her. We’ve been on dates but I know—I don’t know why I’m saying this, I should just—I love you, Buck, you hear me?”

“It’s okay,” Buck says. He wants to reassure Eddie that it’s okay, that Buck’s okay with it, when the words register. “What.”

Eddie’s smile is soft, tinged with fear and sadness, but he leans down, kissing Buck softly. “I love you, so you stay awake for me, yeah? I wanna talk to you later.”

Buck doesn’t know what to say. He thinks he’s crying, can feel Eddie’s fingers move to his cheek, brushing them away. “I don’t feel so good.”

“i know,” Eddie says, and he leans in, touches their foreheads together. “I’m here, alright? I’m not going anywhere.”

Nodding, Buck lets his lips linger against Eddie’s and tries to hang on. 

This time, Buck comes back to consciousness slowly. 

There’s a dull ache in his side and stomach this time, something warm weighing him down. Opening one eye slowly, Buck keeps it half-lidded, stunned by the light. He’s in hospital, which doesn’t surprise him. Neither does Eddie, half asleep on top of Buck. 

Buck smiles, lifts a hand to Eddie’s head. “Hi.”

Eddie snaps up, blinking away sleep and immediately lets out a breath. His smile is slow but bright. “You gotta stop ending up here.”

“I said we should leave,” Buck protests. Not my fault your heavy ass takes forever to move—”

Eddie slaps a hand over his mouth, gentle, and raises an eyebrow. “Don’t pretend you hate my ass.”

Licking at Eddie’s palm, Buck laughs when Eddie makes a disgusting face, pulling back and wiping his hand on the bedsheets. Buck stares at him, at the still-fresh gash across his eye. “Is it gonna scar?”

Frowning, Eddie pauses, then touches a self-conscious hand to his face. “It was deep,” he admits. “They’re not sure.”

Probably, then. Buck touches a hand to Eddie’s face, thumb hovering above the scar. “You’ll still look hot.”

Eddie licks at his bottom lip, heat in his eyes. “Yeah?”

“You always have,” Buck admits quietly. 

It doesn’t take much prompting for Eddie to lean in, kiss Buck softly. His fingers are on Buck’s jaw, sliding down to his pulse point. “I’m sorry.”

Buck shakes his head. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for.”

“I thought you needed time,” Eddie admits. “I wasn’t leading Ana on but—Bobby said I should move on,” he explains quietly, eyes dropping to the bedsheets. “You weren’t, everything had happened with your parents and I wasn’t sure you’d ever be ready for me.”

“Eddie,” Buck says quietly, a hand in Eddie’s hair. “Look at me?”

Slowly, Eddie lifts his gaze, and Buck knows there’s a lot they need to talk about, a lot they need to go through, but right now, he just wants to _be_. 

“I’m ready.”

“Is Chris home?” Buck asks. He’s leaning against Eddie, Eddie’s arm around his waist as they walk up the drive. 

Eddie nods, grabbing the keys from his pocket. He helps Buck up the step and his hand slips down to Buck’s waist as he opens the door. “Yeah. I knew you’d wanna see him.”

Buck doesn’t think he can love Eddie more. The words are right on the tip of his tongue, it would be so easy if they slipped out. 

“Bucky!”

Christopher is careful when he hugs Buck, and Eddie drifts away, probably to get things settled. “Are you okay?”

“I’m getting there,” Buck says gently. He kisses the top of Chris’ head and then Eddie’s back, arm at the base of Buck’s spine. 

“Come on,” Eddie says. He’s careful of the padding on Buck’s hip, his stomach, where the lingering wounds are protected. Eddie takes him to the bedroom and Buck’s breath hitches when he sees the pillows stacked up, the comfortable place Eddie’s carved for him in the bed. 

“Eddie,” he says, hates how easily he’s been crying lately. 

Eddie laughs gently, but it’s not cruel. He wipes at Buck’s face, kisses him. “Come on, in the bed.”

They manage to get him situated in the middle of the bed, Eddie on his left side, Chris on the right. Eddie’s got a small TV in the room, courtesy of Buck trying to make Eddie’s bedroom look lived in, and he turns it on, giving Buck a look. 

“Disney?” Buck asks Chris. 

Chris nods, and they argue good-naturedly over the movie until they settle on one. Eddie’s got snacks and drinks, and when they’re all settled, he moves closer, helping Buck lean against him. Buck wants more; he slides and moves, wincing the few times he pulls on his stomach, but groans when he finds the perfect position, tucked under Eddie’s chin. 

It’s easy to relax; Chris keeps up a steady stream of chatter, pressed up against Buck’s right side. Eddie’s warm around him, arm over his shoulders, lips against his head, fingers rubbing down Buck’s spine. Buck drifts in a doze, comfortable and warm, the sounds sending him further into sleep. 

Chris kisses Buck’s shoulder and climbs out of bed, trying to be careful, and looks at Eddie. “Will you say goodnight?" 

Eddie nods. "Go get ready for bed, I'll be in soon."

Chris makes his way out of the bedroom. Eddie smiles, running a hand through Buck's hair, down the nape of his neck. "Buck?" 

Buck barely twitches. He's dead to the world, hand curled in Eddie's shirt, breathing even against Eddie's collarbone. Gently, Eddie tries to extricate himself from Buck, but as he gets Buck situated on the pillow, he groans, eyes opening slowly. "Eddie?" 

"Just saying goodnight to Chris," Eddie tells him. He kisses him gently, thumb rubbing over his cheek. "I'll be right back." 

Buck looks upset and Eddie's heart breaks. Frowning, Buck reaches for him. "Where you going?" 

"To Chris," Eddie says again, tries to make Buck understand. "It's bedtime." 

Abruptly Buck's face changes and he blinks, stares to the other side of the bed. "I fell asleep?" 

"Yeah," Eddie says, then rests a hand on Buck's shoulder when he tries to move. "Stay put. Chris says you can hug him extra hard in the morning." 

Buck still looks petulant but he nods, finally lets Eddie go. "Come back?" 

"Soon," Eddie promises.

Buck feels cold when Eddie leaves the room, but he shifts onto his right side, groaning as he stretches out. He still aches, can feel pain starting to creep into his awareness and he knows he needs to take some meds. 

Move. He needs to move. Roll out of bed maybe, he can say goodnight to Chris and—

There’s a hand back in his hair, Eddie’s lips against the skin beneath his ear, his jaw. “Sit up for me?”

“M’kay,” Buck says, still half-asleep, but lets Eddie help him sit up. There’s a glass of water and some painkillers in Eddie’s hands and Buck lets out a sob. “You’re amazing.”

Eddie laughs gently, waits for Buck to take the meds and finish half the water. He rests it on the dresser and it takes Buck a moment to realise Eddie’s changed for bed. 

“I fell asleep?”

“Yeah,” Eddie says. “You need to shower?”

“Brush my teeth,” Buck says with a groan, grateful when Eddie helps him up. He thinks he might get used to it, leaning against Eddie, hearing Eddie’s soft murmurs. 

It’s not until they’re climbing into bed, Buck finding a position that’s comfortable, and Eddie wraps around him, Buck’s ear to Eddie’s chest. 

“I love you,” Buck says quietly, rubbing a hand over Eddie’s chest. 

There’s a smile in Eddie’s voice as he whispers, “I love you too.”

Buck drifts off to sleep, safe in the circle of Eddie’s arms. 


End file.
